The present invention relates generally to the residential and the commercial premise distributed audio industries and, more particularly, to audio, video and control systems for multiple room home or office facilities.
Currently, most audio distribution systems consist of a central control processor, amplifiers, matrix switches, sources, speakers, and keypads (further referenced here as Control Point Nodes). All of these components installed together comprise an audio distribution system. Typically in these systems sources, such as CD players, Music Servers, Satellite tuners, AM/FM tuners, tape decks, etc. . . . are centrally located and connected to a matrix switch via analog or digital signals. The signals are then routed to centrally located or remotely located amplifiers. The signal is amplified and then the signals are routed to the speakers for transduction within the installation spaces. In many of these installation systems the matrix switch and multiple amplifiers can create what is known as a multi source to multi room system. Thus, content from different sources can be reproduced in different rooms at the same time, and or the same source can be reproduced in all rooms.
The typical way a user would control the source such as channel up, down or next track, as well as controlling the acoustical properties in the room such as volume and tone is via a small control point node. These control point nodes are typically wall mounted so that the control surface and display (if designed) are easily accessible by the user. These control point nodes can be installed within a single gang, or multiple gangs, or in some cases larger than standard electrical boxes.
Examples of such prior audio systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,803,728; 6,501,389; and, 6,389,139; and PCT/AU98/00647.
A significant disadvantage of currently available multi-room systems is their use of a fixed number of inputs available with external tuner source components. A building or large estate with twenty or more rooms equipped to reproduce sound requires a matrix switch capable of at least 20 inputs and outputs and 20 source component radio tuners to allow every room the ability to tune in a different station.
The object of this invention therefore, is to provide in every room of a multi-room facility an integrated wall mounted control point node which allows a user to receive a particular audio input selected from a variety of available sources.